How to save a Reddit GIF to your camera roll
Reddit GIFs aren't actually GIF files most of the time. Here's what's really going on, and the fastest way to save one to your phone or computer.
Reddit GIFs are usually MP4 files
To save bandwidth, Reddit automatically converts most uploaded GIFs into small MP4 video files, since MP4 compresses far better than the original GIF format. The post still displays as a looping animation, but the file behind it is video.
This is why long-pressing a Reddit GIF on mobile and choosing "save image" sometimes fails, saves a static frame, or downloads the wrong format — your browser is trying to save it as an image when it's actually a video file.
The reliable way to save it
- Copy the link to the Reddit post containing the GIF.
- Paste it into the Reddit video downloader above to confirm it's a GIF-type post and see the exact steps.
- Right-click (or long-press) the animation on Reddit and choose "Save video as..." to get the MP4 file.
If you specifically need an actual .gif file rather than an MP4 (for example, to paste into an app that doesn't support video), you can convert the downloaded MP4 to GIF afterward using any free online video-to-GIF converter.
On iPhone and Android
After downloading, most mobile browsers save the file to your Downloads folder by default. From there, you can share it directly to your camera roll or messaging app of choice, since MP4 clips work anywhere a photo or video normally would.